Project Coordinator

A Project Coordinator is needed to coordinate two studies focused on clarifying the role of socioaffective processing in risk for internalizing psychopathologies and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in adolescents. The first study, led by Dr. Kiera James in collaboration with Dr. Cope Feurer (UNC-Chapel Hill), is a multi-site project including both Pitt and UNC, funded by the NIMH and involves the co-design, development, and validation of a new adolescent emotional faces stimulus set. This study will also test whether neural responses to these new stimuli improve prediction of depression, anxiety, and STBs in adolescents compared to previously validated adult stimuli. The second study, also funded by the NIMH, uses EEG, ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and donation of text/social media data to understand the relations between internal attention to cues of social threat, day-to-day social connectedness, and STBs. Across both studies, the coordinator will 1) recruit participants, 2) schedule and conduct EEG and/or dyadic study visits, 3) conduct suicide risk assessments and safety planning procedures, 4) assist with data processing and management, 5) interact with the Institutional Review Board to prepare and modify protocols, consent forms, and reports, 6) maintain regulatory binders and standard operating procedure binders to assure compliance with Governmental and University regulations, 7) manage a small team of undergraduate research assistants, and 8) assist with manuscript preparation and publication. Additionally, for the first study, the coordinator will 1) oversee recruitment of adolescents across both Pitt and UNC sites to pose for new stimuli, 2) conduct and oversee photography sessions for stimulus development, 3) manage a team of undergraduates to coordinate the validation of these stimuli using online research platforms, and 4) schedule Youth Advisory Board meetings for stimulus feedback.

Required Qualifications\:
• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, or related field
• Minimum of 2 years of human subjects research experience
• Evidence of excellent organizational, interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills
• Experience working with adolescents

The Dietrich School is committed to building a culturally diverse staff. Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of individuals and constituencies in support of a diverse community are required. All applicants must submit a CV/resume and a cover letter.